Ratha Saptami is celebrated on Monday 26th January 2015. Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami or Magha Saptami is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of Maagha Masam. According English calender it occurs in January or February. Shukla Paksha Saptami in Magha month is known as Ratha Saptami or Magha Saptami. Ratha Saptami is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun). Ratha Saptami is also called as Surya Jayanti. The day is of great significance in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Orissa, the day is observed as Magha Saptami. Ratha Saptami falls on the second day after Vasant Panchami or Sri Panchami or Madana Panchami. It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colors) towards the northern hemisphere, Sun worship is deep rooted in the Vedas of the Hindu religion.

Ratha Saptami also marks the birth of Surya to sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti. Sun is also known by the name Arka. Ratha Saptami day is also known as Achala Saptami. Ratha Saptami is a symbolic change of season to spring and to start of harvesting season. The Sun’s own house is Leo (Simha) and he moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days and 6 hours to complete. This will complete all Raasi. The festival is of great importance at the Tirumala Tirupati Lord Venkateswara Temple.

Ratha Saptami 2015

Procedure on Ratha Saptami:
On the auspicious day of Ratha Saptami Rangoli is drawn in rath shapes representing the sun chariot with seven horses. On Ratha Saptami one should take bath during Arunodaya before sunrise. The important ritual on the day is taking bath using seven Erukku leaves or crown leaves (Jiledu) or copper leaves (Ragi) is tradition. This is followed mainly in Tamil Nadu. The mantra should chant thrice while bathing is

After taking bath one should worship Lord Surya during sunrise by offering Ardhyadan to Him. Ardhyadan is performed by slowly offering water to Lord Surya from small Kalash with folded hand in Namaskar shape while facing Lord Sun in standing position. After this one should light Deepam of pure Ghee and offer it with Karpoor, Dhup, and red flowers. Then offers Paramannam is prepared with new rice and new Jaggery with Milk as prasad is placed on a beans leaf is offered to the Lord Sun. Chanting Aditya Hrudayam stotra on this day is most importent. The most famous temple Of the lord sun is the Konarak Temple is in Konark, Orissa. Lord Sun temple is in Hyderabad near Tirumalagiri.

Significance of Ratha Saptami:

By worshiping Lord Surya and observing fast on this day one can get rid of all type of sins. It is believed that seven types of sins done, knowingly, unknowingly, by words, by body, by mind, in current birth and in previous births are purged by worshiping Lord Surya on this day. According to purana's Lord Rama killed demon Ravana after recitation the Aditya Hrudayam. Lord Hanuma was educated by the Lord Sun. According to purana's dwapararayug king named satrajit to take advantage of the infinite gold with samantakamani as he prayed Lord Sun. As per now-a-days science yoga (Surya Namaskar) is better for physical, mental health of a person.